bmibaby

The airline was established on 24 January 2002{{cite web|url=http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/2b3c02d9083ccfe2cb5ec04e15921813/compdetails|title=Companies House WebCHeck|access-date=26 June 2016}} and began operations on 23 March 2002 with a flight between East Midlands and Málaga.

File:G-BVZE B737-500 BMI Baby (4196775549).jpg

Continued expansion for the airline led to it opening further bases at Cardiff in October 2002,{{Cite web|url=http://www.newswales.co.uk/index.php?section=Transport&F=1&id=5806|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210043725/http://www.newswales.co.uk/index.php?section=Transport&F=1&id=5806|url-status=dead|title=bmibaby to serve nine destinations from Cardiff Airport|archivedate=10 February 2009}} Manchester in May 2003,{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/passenger-numbers-soar-400-at-bmibaby-542491.html|title=Passenger numbers soar 400% at bmibaby - Business News, Business - The Independent|website=Independent.co.uk |date=10 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210031535/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/passenger-numbers-soar-400-at-bmibaby-542491.html |archive-date=10 February 2009 }} Durham Tees Valley in October 2003,[http://icteesside.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/teespride/2003/04/22/bmibaby-chooses-teesside-for-new-low-cost-base-50080-12877484/ bmibaby chooses Teesside for new low-cost base] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217042028/http://icteesside.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/teespride/2003/04/22/bmibaby-chooses-teesside-for-new-low-cost-base-50080-12877484/ |date=17 February 2012 }} Birmingham in January 2005.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=bEyZftSD20U=&id=jAERoqnLlek=&article=xcGkTytaw6I=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220083903/http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=bEyZftSD20U%3D&id=jAERoqnLlek%3D&article=xcGkTytaw6I%3D|url-status=dead|title=bmibaby confirms first nine European routes from Birmingham Airport|archivedate=20 February 2012}} and Belfast City Airport in March 2012. Insufficient passenger numbers led to the closure of the Durham Tees Valley base in 2006,[http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/2006/09/bmibaby_to_end_.html bmibaby to end Durham Tees Valley operations] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605233253/http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/2006/09/bmibaby_to_end_.html |date=5 June 2008 }} followed by both Cardiff and Manchester in 2011 to make way for expansion in the Midlands and the new base at Belfast City.

On 1 March 2007, the airline announced an initiative for business travellers with an "only choose what you need" approach, allowing passengers to choose from a range of services such as ticket flexibility, executive lounge access and on-line check in, and only pay for the services they used. The company also announced that BMI's frequent flyers could now gain Diamond Club miles.{{cite web|url=http://www.uk-airport-news.info/birmingham-airport-news-250507.htm|title=bmibaby joins Diamond Club : Birmingham Airport News Stories|access-date=26 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032340/http://www.uk-airport-news.info/birmingham-airport-news-250507.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016}}

By 2007, Bmibaby had nine Boeing 737 aircraft based at East Midlands Airport, making it their biggest base, however in December 2008 the airline announced that it would be suspending five routes from the airport as a result of a reduction in the number of customers booking city-breaks.{{cite news |title=Sixty five jobs go at bmibaby |author=David Irwin |url=http://www.solihullnews.net/news/solihull-news/2008/12/01/sixty-five-jobs-go-at-bmibaby-105074-22378827/ |newspaper=Solihull News |date=1 December 2008 |access-date=1 January 2012 |archive-date=31 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731015216/http://www.solihullnews.net/news/solihull-news/2008/12/01/sixty-five-jobs-go-at-bmibaby-105074-22378827/ |url-status=dead }}

File:Bmibaby Boeing 737-36M (G-TOYJ) by Martin Woudstra.jpg

Further cuts were announced in November 2009 when it was announced that the fleet would be reduced from 17 to 12 aircraft in 2010, with up to 158 jobs at risk of redundancy.{{cite news |title=Low-cost airline cutting 158 jobs |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8342207.stm |newspaper=BBC News Online |date=4 November 2009 |access-date=1 January 2012}} The airline said the action was necessary to stem record losses and that it would focus on growth routes best fit for the business.{{cite web|url=http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/0413358-bmibaby-focus-growth-routes|title=Bmibaby to focus on growth routes - Buying Business Travel|access-date=26 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229062237/http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/0413358-bmibaby-focus-growth-routes|archive-date=29 February 2012}}

In April 2011, Bmibaby announced it would close its bases at Cardiff and Manchester Airports in October 2011 to increase services at Birmingham and East Midlands Airports as well as opening a new base at Belfast City Airport, moving from Belfast International Airport where the airline was based for several years.{{cite news |title=Bmibaby to stop flying from Cardiff and Manchester |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13066764 |newspaper=BBC News Online |date=13 April 2011 |access-date=1 January 2012}}

File:DoningtonHallCastleDonington.jpg, the head office of Bmibaby]]

In May 2011, Bmibaby launched what it called the first European airline loyalty programme tied into a location-based social network. Passengers use the Gowalla smartphone application at Bmibaby check-in desks to collect points.{{cite web |url=http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/disciplines/data-strategy/bmibaby-launches-gowalla-loyalty-scheme/3025987.article |title=Bmibaby launches Gowalla loyalty scheme |author=Laura O'Reilly |date=3 May 2011 |publisher=Marketing Week |access-date=1 January 2012}}

On 22 December 2011, IAG announced it had agreed a contract with Lufthansa to buy BMI. The contract allowed for Lufthansa to sell BMI Regional and Bmibaby separately before the completion of the main sale, although the price payable by IAG would be reduced if the airlines were not sold.{{cite web |url=http://www.iairgroup.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=240949&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1642163&highlight= |title=Binding Agreement for bmi purchase |date=22 December 2011 |publisher=International Airlines Group |access-date=1 January 2012}} On 2 February 2012, BMI announced it had signed a "non-binding and non-exclusive" agreement with a "UK-based company", with plans to complete the sale by the summer of 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/bmi-closes-in-on-sale-of-bmibaby |title=Bmi closes in on sale of Bmibaby |date=2 February 2012 |publisher=Business Traveller |access-date=1 February 2012}} The sale was not completed by the time IAG purchased BMI, and so Bmibaby and BMI Regional became part of the group. IAG said it would continue the attempts to sell both airlines.{{cite news |title=BA owner IAG doubts it can sell BMI Baby and Regional |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17817981 |newspaper=BBC News Online |date=23 April 2012 |access-date=24 April 2012}}

However, on 3 May 2012 IAG announced that it had not found a buyer for Bmibaby and that it was proposing to shut down the company by 9 September 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/faqs/important_information.aspx |title=Important information for customers |publisher=Bmibaby |access-date=28 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507230913/http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/faqs/important_information.aspx |archive-date=7 May 2012 |url-status=dead }} Flights to some destinations such as Belfast, Amsterdam, Paris and Geneva ended on 11 June 2012. All remaining services ended by 9 September 2012. The final flight to operate was flight WW5330 from Malaga to East Midlands. Over 800 jobs were lost by the closure, including 400 at the head office in Castle Donington.{{cite news |title=BMI Baby will fly for the final time today |url=http://www.itv.com/news/central/2012-09-09/bmi-baby-will-fly-for-the-final-time-today/ |newspaper=ITV News |date=9 September 2012 |access-date=12 September 2012}}

After its closure, WOW air took the WW IATA code while the ICAO code BMI remains unused.

Bmibaby served the following destinations before its closure on 9 September 2012:[http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/where_we_fly/route_map.aspx Bmibaby Route Map]{{Failed verification|date=February 2018}}

File:Bmibaby in Barcelona (Catalonia).jpg in 2010]]

As of September 2012,{{cite web|url=http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&aircrafttype=Boeing&owner=British%20Midland|title=Aircraft registration - UK Civil Aviation Authority|access-date=26 June 2016|archive-date=14 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914175903/http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&aircrafttype=Boeing&owner=British%20Midland|url-status=dead}} the Bmibaby fleet consisted of the following aircraft in an all-economy class configuration:

Several aircraft had names with the word baby in the title. After all flights ceased, the aircraft were placed in storage at Norwich International Airport and Lasham Airfield. The majority of the airline's fleet was leased. As of November 2014, all the fleet had moved on from Bmibaby, one had been scrapped (G-OBMP) and the last one partly remains with some of the fuselage in some trees at Bruntingthorpe (G-BVKB).{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Bmibaby offered a buy on board programme with variety of items to purchase including scratch-cards, tax-free shopping and onboard drinks and snacks. The shopping range included items such as jewellery and fragrances, gifts and travel accessories. On non-EU flights, duty-free priced cigarettes and spirits could be purchased. Drinks and snack items included hot and cold drinks, alcoholic and soft drinks as well as crisps, sandwiches and confectionery. The drinks and snack menu was named the Tiny Bites menu. The Bmibaby inflight magazine was known as Yeah baby!

The majority of Bmibaby's cabins had shaded blue leather seating with a 29/30" seat pitch. Extra legroom seats could be found on the front rows and on over-wing exit rows of all the Bmibaby 737 aircraft.

In addition to online booking on the bmibaby.com website; Bmibaby employed 20-30 customer service representatives to take telephone queries and bookings. Prior to November 2005 the team were located in Glasgow.{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teletech-and-bmibaby-launch-national-reservations-and-customer-care-center-74201772.html|title=TeleTech and bmibaby Launch National Reservations and Customer Care Center|first=TeleTech Holdings|last=Inc.|access-date=26 June 2016}} From November 2005, the team was based in Belfast working in the TeleTech customer contact centre. The call centre was then moved to Delhi, India and remained there until the firm's closure in 2012.

Bmibaby began to sponsor regional weather forecasts on ITV from shortly after the airline's launch, starting in the Central region in 2002 and ending in the Granada region in early 2005. The sponsorship lasted for several years until new sponsorships took over between 2009 & 2011.

• List of defunct airlines of the United Kingdom

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{{Commons category-inline|Bmibaby}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94f2Tkk_-To bmibaby tribute video]

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Category:Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom

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